CONSERVATION THROUGH INNOVATION:

SAVING THE BRYN COED MILKING PARLORS

Proposal Summary

Currently slated for demolition, the Duey Family proposes to convert the milking parlors

and surrounding buildings into an aquaponics farm, which will have no appreciable operating

noise and very little waste, but which will conserve the buildings, save West Vincent Township

financial resources, and provide a plethora of benefits to area residents.

History of the Dairy Complex

The portion of Bryn Coed Farms contemplated in this proposal was owned by the

Dietrichs – owners of the Ludens Company. Completed in 1969 and considered to be one of the
most modern dairies on the East Coast, the 1,000-head dairy stock won awards, including the PA

Farm Show in Harrisburg. The main barn was divided into two buildings, each with 250 milking

stalls. Initially boasting four milking parlors, each was used to milk cows twice a day, pumping

milk into the milk room, where it was stored in a 10,000 gallon tank pending the arrival of the

milk truck every other day. Due to the cutting-edge technology of milking machines, pipes and

pumps, the process was hands-free.

The center building between the milking barns was the hospital barn. Across from that

was the calf barn, where newborns spent their first 4-5 months. Behind that building was the

maternity barn, used mostly during the winter. Heifers pregnant during summer months were

taken to the dry lot on the hilltop of Flowing Springs Road, which was healthier and reduced the

risk of spreading disease. Milking silos were built, and the surrounding farm land grew alfalfa

and corn for the cows. Employees lived in nearby homes, which they were given, along with

wages, heating oil, meat, milk, vacation and insurance benefits.

Due to slim profit margins, the dairy operations were suspended in 1984, and the cows

were sold. The farm turned to corn, soybeans and hay, which were sold to local farmers as well

as commercial operations. Bryn Coed Farms received the Conservation Partnership award in

1998. However, the Dietrichs halted their farming operation in 1992, renting half the land to

another farmer for soil conservation, corn and soybeans, while the remaining half was sublet for

hay and cattle raising on fields surrounding historic homes used as rental properties.

Today, the milking parlors and surrounding buildings constitute approximately 12-15 of

the 72 acres slated to become West Vincent Township’s new open space park. As the buildings

themselves do not meet the standards for historical preservation, no potential source of grant

money to restore and repurpose them has been identified. Accordingly, the Township is faced
with demolishing them, with the significant attendant costs. Due to the rich history of the area,

however, conserving the milking parlors is preferable.

Financial Repercussions of Demolition

The current estimates for demolition and removal of waste range from $600,000 to

$800,000, with the possibility for significant overruns due to unknown conditions, such as burial

grounds, environmental contaminates and unexpected construction costs. Additionally, while the

septic system appears sound, because it runs through the milking parlors, it will no longer be

usable once they are torn down, forcing the Township to install a new system for the necessary

public restrooms and water facilities for the park. The Township currently intends to pay $1.6

million, plus any construction overruns, from the existing $1.8 million Open Space fund. From

this fund, the Township voted to set aside $625,000 for maintenance and improvement of

Township Open Space, leaving $1.175 million available for acquisition of the land. The

Township cannot spend regular Open Space funds for demolition, and is therefore limited to the

$625,000 set aside for improvement. Given the estimates of $600,000-$800,000, it appears that

the work will have to be done over several years. Setting aside these funds, and expending the

remaining funds to acquire the land, necessarily prevents the Township from acquiring any other

desired properties at this time, including the Cutler TDRs, the Hill TDRs, and from taking any

steps to position itself to purchase the Aman farm, when the opportunity arises.

The Solution Lies in Conservation

The Dueys propose a solution to these issues which is environmentally friendly, will

provide support to the Township Park, and will honor the site’s history, while saving the

Township the $600,000-$800,000 that will otherwise be spent on demolition and restoration, as

well as the additional expenses for the cost overruns, and without the need for any funds from
NLT or the Township. Initially, the Dueys proposed that the lot lines for the Township Park be

redrawn, creating a new 12-15-acre parcel encompassing the dairy complex, which the Dueys

would purchase, with an easement over the Township Park to use the existing driveway to access

the land from St. Matthews Road. In response to the Township’s request, the Dueys agreed to

purchase the entire 72 acre parcel, thereby allowing the Township to expend its funds on other

Bryn Coed lands which do not require such significant construction costs, and which are far

more suited to the Supervisors’ expressed intended use as ball fields. If permitted to do so, the

Dueys commit to conserving and restoring the milking parlors and surrounding buildings.

Conservation Through Aquaponics

The Dueys will begin by remediating the exterior of the milking parlors and the

surrounding land, making it safe for park visitors. Work will then begin to reopen the skylights

and extensive interior cleaning. The proposed external appearance is a toned down version of

what exists now, with a softer exterior color and additional landscaping.
 Once prepared, the farm will be used for aquaponics, which is the combination of

hydroponics and aquaculture. Hydroponics is the growth of crops in water, without soil.

Aquaculture is raising aquatic animals in tanks. In its simplest terms, crops are grown through a

nearly zero-waste process wherein the roots are bathed with water enriched by the fish, rather

than planting them in soil. The fish provide all necessary nutrients to the crops, eliminating the

need to bring in and store traditional chemical fertilizers or manure. Because the tanks’

temperature needs to be maintained for year-round growth and harvesting, the parlors, which are

currently serviced by electric heat and cooling, will need to be temperature controlled.

Accordingly, the Dueys, over time, will replace the roofs with solar panels and a rainwater

collection system, with a goal of creating a carbon neutral, if not carbon negative, farm. Because

the buildings can be put to productive use in this environmentally friendly way, there is no need

to expend Open Space funds to demolish them, losing their historical interest to the community.

Details of Aquaponics Farming

Aquaponics does not involve the use of heavy machinery, and the only noise is that of the

employees. While initial set-up will require importing sufficient water and tilapia for each

operational tank, they then spawn and the population turns over naturally. Water is recycled

annually. Due to the existing layout of the buildings, the aquaculture operations – fish tanks –

will be located in the outbuildings. This allows the tanks to be separately monitored and

controlled so that, in the event of an unacceptable change in a tank, it can be immediately shut

down and isolated, so as not to affect the rest of the farm. When fully converted and operational,

the central milking parlors will feature three growing levels, with a total of 150,000 square feet

of growing space. It will also host the requisite office space, quality control, and research and

development areas:
 The entire farm will require approximately 10 employees on each of two 8-hour shifts per

day. The growth cycle of lettuces and kale, the proposed crops, is 21 to 28 days, and the farm

requires a daily planting and a daily harvest. Once the farm is fully operational, a box truck will

arrive during each 8-hour shift to take the crops away. As the tilapia spawn, there will be

periodic harvesting and hauling of the excess fish for sale. Because the need for employees is so

small, the noise generated by them will not be appreciable outside of the parlors. The Dueys

wish to employ locals, such as the surrounding farmers, or Veteran Community Farms, which is

a 501c3 non-profit organization that uses aquaponics farming as reintegration therapy and

training for returning veterans.

Addressing the Township’s Concerns

The Board of Supervisors has expressed a preference for this parcel because, once

demolished, the milking parlors are on the only flat land on the parcel, which could be used for

Township ball fields at some point in the future. However, the Township owns other lots that are
suitable for ball fields and/or that already have ball fields installed. Additionally, lots 4, 5 and 7,

which are directly across St. Matthews Road, are all suitable locations for future ball fields.

Given the Supervisors’ expressed intent that a ball field, if created, is 20-50 years in the future, a

plan could easily be undertaken now to plant trees and landscaping to mature over the coming

decades, resulting in a future park area with suitable slopes, similar acreage and mature trees. In

the interim, the land can continue to be farmed, with the proceeds benefitting the Township.

Alternatively, the parcels, which have some of the best soil for farming in the entire Bryn Coed

project, would make an excellent site for a sustainable farm and/or for a community farm.

The Supervisors have also expressed that the land is in the middle of, and surrounded by,

the NLT preserve. However, very little of this parcel (yellow) actually borders NLT’s Preserve

(green). To the contrary, the overwhelming majority of the parcel abuts private land.
The parcel is also steeply sloped and overwhelmingly wet. The wooded area southeast of the

milking parlors is wet, as is the area surrounding and to the east of the stormwater basin along St.

Matthews Road, which has become a pond, due to a complete lack of maintenance. In fact,

approximately 60 of the 72 acres are unusable as a result of these conditions. While unusable by

township residents, these conditions do not impact the proposed adaptive reuse as an aquaponics

farm. The portion of the property not put to use as part of the farm – approximately 55-60 acres

– will be placed under a conservation easement with NLT, just as all other parcels are.

How the Township Benefits from the Farm

In addition to saving the $600,000-$800,000 in guaranteed demolition costs, which can

be used instead to purchase other, more valuable lots and conserve additional acres, the

Township eliminates all concerns of construction overruns and unforeseen historical and/or

environmental issues, as those responsibilities would all fall to the Dueys.

The Dueys are committed to hiring mainly local workers to do the farming, thereby

improving the local economy. The business would increase tax revenue to the Township,

County and School District on land where there would otherwise be no tax revenues, as the

Township will not pay taxes on a park.

The business is entirely self-contained, and poses no health hazards to the public.

Accordingly, there is no need to fence it off or move the planned trails. The Dueys propose

locating public restrooms in the building on the northern side of the milking parlors, which they

will install and maintain, and rent to the Township for $1.00 per year*. As this area would be a

trail head for the entire trail system, additional proposed amenities at this location include a bike

rack and water fountains, including a trough for dogs and horses, should the trails accommodate

equestrian use. The Dueys also intend to install benches, picnic tables and dog waste stations.
 Should the Township move forward with the acquisition of Lots 4, 5 and 7, the Dueys

will lease a bay of the 4-bay garage to the Township for $1.00 per year* to store Township

equipment for its trail maintenance. The Dueys will also rehabilitate and maintain a combined

parking area for the Dueys’ employees and park visitors, which would be leased to the Township

for $1.00 per year*. Given the expected equestrian use of the trails, the Dueys propose

establishing a second parking area for horse trailers closer to the 4-bay garage, so that horses can

be safely loaded and unloaded separate from other vehicular traffic.

Finally, the Dueys have offered first right of refusal to NLT and the Township, should the

Dueys decide to sell the parcel outside of their family/family businesses at some point in the

future. Should the buildings no longer be actively used at that time, and assuming the purchaser

does not have a planned use for them that is compliant with the Easement, the main milking

parlors will be demolished and the area returned to grass prior to the transfer of ownership.

*The exact manner in which these benefits will be conferred will be determined after
consultation with the Township’s Solicitor, in order to ensure that the Township’s various
immunities are protected.